Browns hope to take advantage of Ravens' weaknesses

Saturday

Sep 29, 2007 at 12:01 AMSep 29, 2007 at 3:53 PM

Today’s opponent, Baltimore, and next Sunday’s, New England, are a combined 30-8 during the last 13 months. What expectation can that leave the only NFL team whose 2006 opponents have combined for triple figures in scoring?

Steve Doerschuk

The Browns really should have taken advantage of that rest stop in California.

Flubbling a game-ending field goal at Oakland deprives them of all comforts implied by a 2-1 start.

Before they get to a lull against the Dolphins, followed by a bye week, odds are they’ll have four flat tires.

Today’s opponent, Baltimore, and next Sunday’s, New England, are a combined 30-8 during the last 13 months. What expectation can that leave the only NFL team whose 2006 opponents have combined for triple figures in scoring?

There was a touch of hope in Browns Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham late in the week.

“They do play hard,” he said of his 31st-ranked unit.

Baltimore isn’t New England. The balance is suspect.

The Ravens’ offense is averaging 332.7 yards a game, a modest number given a defense that keeps getting the ball back.

Cleveland’s offense is averaging 362.3 yards despite a defense tending to leave the field only when the other guys score.

True, the Browns’ No. 9 league rank in yards gained is skewed by getting to go against that Cincinnati sieve. But Baltimore faced the Bengals, too, and lost.

The Browns came close to winning a third-straight home game against Baltimore last year. So there’s hope.

Browns quarterback Derek Anderson denies any drama.

“It’s just another division opponent for us,” he said.

By the same token, it’s just his career. He’s playing against the team that picked him in Round 6 in 2005, cut him before the season and was stunned when former family member Phil Savage blocked his path to the practice squad by waiver wiring him to Cleveland.

He’s playing to stay ahead of rookie Brady Quinn, who will start taking snaps if the record goes south or Anderson falters.

He’s playing to prove he won’t be the erratic type who beats the Bengals, 51-45, one week and chucks two interceptions in short order against Oakland the next.

He really does seem to work hard at not letting his mind race.

“Take what they give us, not forcing things,” he says, as if talking to himself. “Keep preparing every week. Try to make good decisions.”

Anderson gets a break in that Baltimore’s 2006 sacks leader, Trevor Pryce, is out with a broken wrist. There’s a twist, though, in that Pryce’s replacement is Anderson’s former Oregon State teammate, Dwan Edwards.

Edwards told the Baltimore Sun on Friday: “(Anderson) will make mistakes. One thing I learned from playing with him ... he will try to force some throws. But we won a lot of big games in the Pac-10.

“If he’s hot and gets on a roll, he can make all the throws. If you can get some pressure in his face, he can be rattled.”

It will help Anderson if running back Jamal Lewis can deliver a 100-yard game against his old team. Lewis is eager to prove he can do more for a team than his Raven replacement, Willis McGahee.

Baltimore quarterback Steve McNair is battling a groin injury. The Ravens have been using Kyle Boller on some series.

Anderson gets another break in that cornerback Samari Rolle is out with an illness.